Ollphéist Álainn
by Rivendell101
Summary: All of Earthland is littered with Ollphéist, monsters enslaved by humans through sheer will power. These monsters are either murdered by the Zentopia Legion Corps for merely existing, or forced by cruel masters to fight to the death in the underground brawl rings of Veronica for entertainment purposes. Lucy is one such monster, but to Natsu she's a beautiful monster. NaLu AU


**AN: What am I doing!? I shouldn't be starting anther story! I got the idea for this from the first chapter of Stray Dog by VanRah. I haven't actually read the rest yet so if anything is similar it's a complete coincidence. **

**Summary: All of Earthland is littered with Ollphéist, monsters enslaved by humans through sheer will power. These monsters are either murdered by the Zentopia Legion Corps, or forced by cruel masters to fight to the death in the underground brawl rings of Edolas and Veronica. Lucy is one such monster.**

**Ollphéist Álainn**

**Prologue: The Beginning**

**{Blinded I can't see the end, so where do I begin?}**

**July 7, X781**

It's disgusting.

It's so incredibly disgusting what some people do to the Ollphéist. Humans treat them like dirt, abuse them, murder them in the most twisted ways. They're pretty much human too, save for their demonic qualities. Most even _look_ human.

Igneel can't believe how people can do that to another living creature and live with themselves afterwards. It isn't right. It just isn't right...

Of course, there are some good Ollphéist Masters in the world, not many, but some. Makarov Dreyar, for example, treats his Ollphéist like family. He doesn't beat them or force them to fight to the death in the underground Veronica rings. Well, not unless they want to, which most don't.

Igneel himself used to be an Ollphéist Master, but he stopped after the death of his Ollphéist, Draco, a large fire dragon. Draco's death hit Igneel hard, and since then he hasn't made any more contracts with the creatures. The worst part is that Draco was killed exactly four years ago today on July 7, X777.

He doesn't exactly want to be anywhere near the underground world today, but it takes Igneel a few seconds to remember that he isn't down here for himself, he's here for Natsu, his son who just turned fourteen a few months ago. You have to be at least fourteen to make a contract with an Ollphéist.

It seems even the black-market has some rules.

At first Igneel was entirely against Natsu signing a contract with a demon. Why would he ever let his son do something like that? The demons only ever cause pain and heartbreak. But, after months of encouragement from his friends and lots of yelling from his wife, Igneel finally agreed.

Igneel really doesn't have too much to worry about, Natsu is a good kid. He wouldn't do anything cruel to a Ollphéist, and if he ever does Igneel will kick his ass.

With a sigh Igneel runs his hand through his bright red hair. Could his hair be anymore obnoxious? Having a strange hair color isn't exactly uncommon in Fiore—or really Earthland in general—but red stands out more than anything else! Why can't he have blue hair like his wife? That would at least make him blend in a little bit. But, nope! Igneel looks like a torch compared to the dark, murky walls surrounding him. How peachy.

"Dad?" a soft voice calls from his right. "Where are we going?"

Igneel's looks down in time to catch the confusion and nervousness in his son's dark onyx eyes. He's lucky that he doesn't have Natsu hair, pink—_salmon _is even worse. At least Igneel was never teased in school for having girly hair—not that his son has girly hair!

Igneel smiles down at Natsu, ruffling his spiky hair playfully. "We're going to find an Ollphéist, Natsu. Remember?" he asks quietly. The silence around them is unnerving, but Igneel doesn't want to be the one to break it. "We're hear to find an Ollphéist Álainn and have it sign a contract with you."

Natsu nods once, but then starts to look even more confused. "Dad?" he asks again.

Igneel fights back a smile, Natsu always has been a curious kid, maybe not the brightest, but that doesn't matter.

"Yes?" he glances at Natsu again.

The fourteen year old runs his hand through his hair much like Igneel had just done. "What does 'Ollphéist Álainn' mean?"

Igneel blinks. Whatever it is he had been expecting Natsu to ask, this isn't it. Since when has Natsu become so perceptive? Igneel rubs his right hand across his face. "It means… 'Beautiful Monster'." Before Natsu can say anything else he continues. "They're classified as Ollphéist. Monsters. But, they are so incredibly amazing," he says almost wistfully. "For the right person they an be furiously devoted, caring, and loving. And they can be loyal to the point of sacrificing themselves just to save you," he whispers, swallowing down a sob. That's what Draco had done…

Igneel stops walking suddenly, nearly making Natsu run into him. "You need to promise me something," Igneel says, although it sounds more like a demand. He doesn't give Natsu a chance to answer. "You need to promise me that you'll never hurt an Ollphéist no matter what happens—"

"I—"

Igneel shakes his head, cutting Natsu off. "You have to promise to protect them just like they protect you. Be their friend, not their Master," he nearly hisses. He said the word "friend" with so much warmth that he can almost touch it. He really wishes that he could touch it. He looks down at Natsu. "Do you promise?"

Natsu opens his mouth to reply, but a deeper man's voice answers instead. "Igneel Dragneel." Igneel nearly flinches at the voice dripping with so much honey you could drown in it. He turns and catches sight of a slimy looking man with dark hair pushed back on his head and scars on both of his cheeks. The man grins and the only thing Igneel can think of is the word "snake". That's what this man is. A snake.

"Zoldeo," Igneel grumbles, fighting off the urge to snarl. This is the first time that Igneel has met Zoldeo, but he an already tell that the man is nothing but pure scum.

Zoldeo tilts his head to the side. "Are you here looking for a…" he trails off for a moment, a sick grin twisting across his features. "Pet?" he finishes.

Igneel wants to spit in his face. He doesn't even want to _think_ about what this man does to his Ollphéist. The sick bastard.

He merely smiles and places a hand on Natsu's shoulder, squeezing just a bit too tightly. He glances down and notices the hard look in his son's eyes. Good, so he isn't the only one that thinks Zoldeo is a disgusting creature.

"No," Igneel states calmly, trying to keep his grin from turning into a grimace. "My son here is looking for a companion," he replies, putting as much emphasis on companion as he possibly can.

"Companion?" Zoldeo asks, eyebrows knitting together. "I think your boy might be a little too young for a 'companion'." It takes Igneel a second to understand what Zoldeo means, but when he does understand he wants to scream. If Igneel wasn't already repulsed by this man he definitely is now.

"Not," Igneel spits out, "That sort of companion." This man is sick and Igneel really wants to get Natsu away from him as soon as humanly possible. Luckily Natsu can be about as dense as a rock sometimes or he would be throwing a fit about what Zoldeo had just said.

Zoldeo places his hands up in defense. "My mistake," he says coolly. "I was going to question it anyway. The boy seems like he would do better with something more powerful. A Minotaur perhaps."

Igneel barely manages to keep his distaste from showing. Minotaurs are a Titan Class Ollphéist. They're almost always used for fighting and can grow to be nearly forty feet tall. Unfortunately they're also one of the many Ollphéist without a sense of humanity. They're purely a machine built for bloodshed. There is no ounce of remorse or kindness within them. Other Titan's are Hellhounds and Giants; the latter of which _looks_ human.

Draco, when he was alive, was a Titan Class Ollphéist, only he was smarter and had a sense of humanity. Luckily the dragon was able to shrink down to the size of a common house cat otherwise there would have been a lot of problems about living space. Grandine can be a real devil when she wants to be and Igneel doesn't really want to think about how angry she would have been if he had tried to let a full grow dragon live in the house.

He unconsciously shivers. There's no Ollphéist on Earthland that's more terrifying than an angry woman. Well, except for an Ollphéist that's also a woman, but if someone is stupid enough to pick a fight with one of them then they probably have it coming.

Anyway, Natsu will not be having anything to do with the Titan Class, not at age fourteen. Especially if it's a brainless Minotaur. Natsu can do so much better than that. Like maybe a Centaur or a Neman Lion. Something that's at least a little bit smart; God knows that Natsu needs all the help that he can get.

Igneel shakes his head several times, realizing that Zoldeo has been staring at him expectantly for about a minute now. How embarrassing. "No, not a Minotaur, thank you," he says as curtly as he possibly can. "We're looking for something more…" how should he put this. "Human." Oops, he didn't mean for that to just slip out.

Zoldeo sneers at him, but luckily he doesn't say anything, and for that Igneel is thankful. He really doesn't want to snap and punch the older man, that would be a very bad example for Natsu to follow. You can't just go around and punch people you don't like, there are rules, albeit not many.

"Human," Zoldeo hisses, disgust written clearly on his face. "They aren't human, Mr. Dragneel. They're monsters." Igneel feels Natsu tense next to him and gives his shoulder a quick squeeze.

Not the time or place.

Igneel forces a smile. "I suppose that is something we disagree on." The direction of the situation keeps getting more and more sour, there's no reason for him to make it any worse.

Then again it would be kind of fun to watch Zoldeo's head pop if he got really angry. No, Igneel, behave. Violence is never the answer. Unless you're protecting a girl or small child. In that case violence is always the answer. Always.

Igneel's blinks once, trying to keep the small smile from spreading across his face. It takes him another two seconds to realize Zoldeo is still giving him a sour look. Oops, maybe he saw the smile.

"So it would seem," the dark haired man drawls. Yup, he's angry. Igneel would bet good money on Zoldeo wanting to kill him right now. Oh, well. Zoldeo an be angry if he wants to, that's not why Igneel and Natsu are here.

Wait, Natsu? Igneel's eyes shoot open wide and he gives himself whiplash as he twists to look at the young teenager next to him.

He takes in the clenched jaw and narrowed eyes of his son. Natsu looks about ready to burst into flames and destroy something. Great, he's angry too. Then again, Natsu has every right to be angry, Igneel does too. Ollphéist aren't scum on the bottom of a shoe. They're living, breathing creatures with feelings of their own.

Anyone who says otherwise is wrong.

Igneel gives Natsu's shoulder a hard squeeze, not hard enough to hurt him, but definitely enough to get his attention. Natsu's dark eyes flick up to meet his and Igneel shakes his head slightly. The movement was so subtle almost anyone else except for Natsu would miss it. It was nothing more than a twitch. Natsu only nods in understanding and drops his gaze to the ground.

With another squeeze to Natsu's shoulder, Igneel turns back to Zoldeo. "Can you help us or not?" Igneel all but snarls. "If not I'm sure I can find someone better to do the job." Igneel means that too. If Zoldeo can't help them than Brain—Zero, what ever his name is—probably can. "Maybe Zero."

He isn't sure if Zoldeo flinched due to the potential loss of a customer or because he mentioned Zero.

He doesn't really want to know anyway.

Zoldeo shifts in his spot for a few seconds and hen nods meekly. "Alright," he spits. "Alright, I'll help you, but you can't go to Zero." Igneel can't tell if it's a demand or a plea.

"Deal," Igneel agrees, voice booming. Zoldeo flinches again, but nods as well. That's a good sign, at least Zoldeo is still willing to help, plus he's afraid! That could possibly be of use to Igneel in the future, he might be able to scare Zoldeo into a discount.

The Ollphéist seller turns around and gestures for Igneel and Natsu to follow before stalking off, boots making almost no noise on the dirty stone floor. It's almost unnerving, Zoldeo is practically a ghost. It's like he's floating across the floor instead off walking on it.

Igneel glances down at Natsu at the same time Natsu looks up. They both just stare at each other for a second, and then Natsu just sort of shrugs nonchalantly and hurries after the creepy man. Igneel sighs and runs a hand down the side of his face.

So it begins.

He manages to catch up to them rather quickly, on the other hand Zoldeo isn't exactly rushing to show them an Ollphéist. Maybe that's a good thing though.

Zoldeo clears his throat, drawing Igneel's attention the sleazy man. Said man shots him a quick look before snapping his eyes back to the path in front of them. "There are several humanoid Ollphéist," he murmurs. "Wolfmen, Werecats, the demon foxes…" he trails off, pure rage flickering across his face. "Fucking Kitsune," he snarls suddenly.

Igneel dismisses it hastily. It isn't his business and he probably wouldn't like the answer anyway. He really doesn't like the way Zoldeo said "Kitsune" though. Something about the man's voice made the word seem vulgar and disgusting, but there's nothing wrong with the foxes. Out of all the Ollphéist they're probably the best companion you can have. They aren't as vicious as the Titans or the Werewolves, but they're more loyal than the Werecats.

Kitsune are fast and sly creatures with just as much power behind them as a Werewolf. They're also humanoid—no they practically _are_ human, save for their ability to change into nine-tailed demon foxes. They look human, they have human life spans… they _are_ human, even if no one else thinks so. Why should physical appearance matter if everyone's heart beats in the same way?

Igneel shakes his head slowly, banishing the thoughts to the back of his mind. He can think about it later, when he's home and he knows Natsu and everyone else are safe. Besides, what does it matter if Zoldeo is swearing about an Ollphéist? It probably bit at him or something like that, it could be how he got his scars. It probably isn't important.

Probably… Igneel isn't really sure.

"Oi, Flamehead, you listening?" Igneel shoots Zoldeo a dark look at the hair jab, as if he doesn't hate his hair enough. If Igneel had feathers they would be ruffled…

"Yes," Igneel grumbles. "I'm listening." Actually he wasn't, he has no clue what Zoldeo just said. Not that Zoldeo needs to know that.

Zoldeo only sighs and continues walking. Igneel never even realized they had stopped. "As I was saying, Mr. Dragneel." Apparently Zoldeo knows. "There are several types of humanoid Ollphéist." Igneel already knows this, but he doesn't really want to make Zoldeo any angrier. "Werewolves, Werecats, Skinwalkers…"

Igneel stops listening at this point. Skinwalkers are absolutely disgusting. Unlike the Were-creatures which transform naturally, Skinwalkers, well… they shed their skin. In their normal form they look like people, but they can change into any other creature imaginable by ripping themselves out of their skin, revealing their intended shape underneath. It's an incredibly messy process, and the shed skin and blood is enough to make anyone feel sick.

So, no. No Skinwalkers. Grandine would be mad about the blood on the carpet and Wendy, who is only nine, would probably have nightmares. The nightmares would make Grandine even more mad and, once again, angry women means death. Okay, Grandine isn't that bad, but her temper can rival that of a dragon's.

"—Kitsune, and—"

Igneel drowns the voice out again. The malice coating the word "Kitsune" is less noticeable this time, but it _is_ still there and Igneel just can't quite understand why it's bothering him so much. Is it because of the way he feels towards the Ollphéist? Igneel does hate it when people insult them or when a member of the Legion Corps threatens to exterminate them, but this feels… different. Not necessarily more personal, but… something just doesn't feel _right_, like something incredibly bad is about to happen, just not to him.

He narrows his eyes as possibilities flood through his mind, but he pushes all of them away and glances down at Natsu. Igneel is almost startled when his gaze dips down and he realizes he isn't the only one who caught the dark note in Zoldeo's voice. The younger male is looking up at him, something akin to worry in his eyes.

That isn't good. When Natsu gets worried—_like really worried_—he gets destructive and violent. Granted, most of the times Natsu gets worried someone is being hurt or threatened. Or both.

"Both" seems highly probable right now.

Igneel just smiles at him and shakes his head slowly, trying to reassure Natsu that everything will be fine. Because everything _will_ be fine. Everything has to be fine, nothing can go wrong today otherwise Grandine will kill him and then Natsu and Wendy will be fatherless, unless of course that bastard Zirconis makes a move on his wife and—

A shrill scream echoes through the hallway they're walking in and Igneel completely freezes. It sounds like… a little girl?

Before Igneel can really mull over the possibilities of _who_ is screaming and _why_ said person is screaming another bloodcurdling shriek tears through the air. The sound is coming from nearby, less than twenty yards, and it's so heart breaking that Igneel bursts into action once again.

Igneel silently thanks whatever higher being may or may not be up there for his better than average hearing ability. The screams are coming from down the hall and it doesn't take Igneel long to find the source of the cries. He runs toward a door at the end of the hallway, vaguely hearing Natsu and Zoldeo chasing after him.

Igneel's hand wraps itself around the doorknob, but it won't budge at all. He swears under his breath as he realizes the door is locked, and the screams are just getting worse.

"Wait," Zoldeo shouts as Igneel slams his body against the door, forcefully trying to push it open. "You can't go in there!" Zoldeo reaches out to grab the fuming redhead, but Igneel just snarls and crashes into the door again.

"Like hell I can't," he barks. "Someone's hurt." Igneel's shoulder smashes against the door again, which he briefly notices is made of pure iron, small _Elder Futhark_ runes running along the edges of the door, which he finds to be slightly strange. Why would they need to use powerful runes on this door? Are they trying to keep something out?

Or are they trying to keep something in?

Neither option sounds very appealing, so Igneel just ignores the runes as another scream comes from the other side of the door. Before Zoldeo can stop him Igneel reels back and lifts his right leg into the air, then proceeding to launch his foot forward, kicking the door right next to the silvery knob.

The door springs open and slams against the wall with a crack, but Igneel hardly notices it. All he can see is what's in the middle of the room.

It's a little girl, no older than Natsu, possibly even younger. Her blonde hair is a complete mess, streaked with a reddish color in some places with what he can only assume is blood. Her shirt is several sizes too big and he can't tell if she's wearing anything under it, it's also nearly torn to shreds. Blood and dark bruises are covering most of her body, some fresh, others fading. One of her legs is tucked up against her chest, the other lying straight out in front of her, and he can't help but notice the drying blood on the inside of her thigh.

What bothers Igneel the most though is the way she's looking up at the man in front of her as if he's a monster.

"What the hell do you think you're doing to this little girl," Igneel screams at the man currently leering at the cowering girl. He notices too late the black, knotted symbol on the girl's shoulder.

"Girl?" Zoldeo laughs from behind him, stepping into the room as well. "It's only an Ollphéist," he sneers, smirking to himself.

Igneel snarls and whirls around, slamming the dark haired man into the wall beside them. It doesn't matter that the girl is an Ollphéist, what matters is that it's only a little girl and she's hurt, badly.

His lips pull back over his sharp teeth. "And that makes it okay," he all but screams. "Are you torturing her because you enjoy it?" he asks harshly, his hand moving up to wrap around Zoldeo's throat. If Zoldeo's answer is "yes" than Igneel would have no issue with killing this man, none at all.

"N-no," Zoldeo chokes out, wheezing for air. The man who had already been in the room had seemingly disappeared, Igneel notes, and Natsu is crouching a few feet in front on the shaking girl, reaching out to her. Igneel turns back to Zoldeo, glaring. "She's a Kitsune!"

"So what?" Igneel snaps back, watching more and more fear enter the smaller man's eyes. "Do you do this to all of them?" He punctuates his statement by pulling Zoldeo away from the wall, then slamming him back against it with as much force as he can muster

"No, no!" Zoldeo cries out, wincing in pain. "It wouldn't make a contract with me." Igneel growls lowly at the word "it" making Zoldeo flinch. "A-and she was too strong for me to force one."

Igneel's grip loosens slightly in shock. "So you thought…" he can't bring himself to finish, but Zoldeo nods none the less.

"I thought that maybe if I… hurt her then she would agree to the contract, b-but I had a good reason," he shouted as Igneel's grip tightened again. "I have until the end of the week to either sell her or make a contract with her, otherwise she goes to Zero." At this Igneel is the one to flinch back. "You know what he would do to her!"

Oh yes, Igneel knows exactly what Zero would do to this poor girl if he got his hands on her. He would rip her to pieces from the inside out even if she agreed to a contract, then he would beat her and let anyone else hurt her so long as he got paid for it. That's what Zero would do to her.

Igneel looks down and swallows thickly, before glancing over at Natsu and the girl. She's still shaking, probably in shock snapping, and Natsu seems to be murmuring something to her, but Igneel can't tell if she can hear him. His eyes snap back up to look at Zoldeo, who's shocked to see the resolve shinning in Igneel's eyes. "How much?" Igneel whispers.

"What?" Zoldeo sputters, completely baffled.

"I said 'how much'," he repeats. "You said you have until the end of the week to sell her to someone else or make a contract yourself." This way Igneel could get the girl out of this place, give her a good home, and if she really doesn't want to make a contract with Natsu than she could have her freedom.

Zoldeo mumbles a price to him and Igneel nods without really listening, he's more concerned with what Natsu is doing.

The young, pink haired male is on his knees in front of the blonde, who still looks terrified, but there's something like hope in her eyes as she looks at Natsu.

Her hands are laid out flat on the ground and she lets out a shuddery breath. "Are you going to hurt me too?" she asks softly, but there is a hint of tiredness as well.

Natsu shakes his head slowly and reaches for her right hand with his left. His large hand easily engulfs her smaller one as he threads his fingers through hers, linking their hands together. Natsu smiles at her and Igneel is nearly taken aback by how gentle the look is, he has never seen an expression like that on his son's face. Natsu shakes his head again. "Never," he whispers.

**{It finally begins.}**

**AN: New story! Now I'm really tired… I hope you guys liked this, and please leave a review. It would really make my day if you guys reviewed. I don't know when the next chapter will be, but we'll see guys.**

**Does anyone know the song at the beginning and end?**

**-Riven**


End file.
